A conventional image processing apparatus such as a copying machine or the like comprises control means which stops or aborts the operation of the apparatus in response to a user's instruction before a copying operation that has started comes to an end.
With this means, even when the image processing apparatus makes operation that the user did not intend due to setting errors of a copying mode or the like, the user can stop the apparatus.
In recent years, various image processing apparatuses have not only a single function, but have a plurality of functions such as a scanner, printer, copying machine, FAX, and the like, and can simultaneously execute the respective functions.
Furthermore, such apparatus not only can simultaneously execute different functions, but can accept a plurality of print operation instructions (jobs), and can sequentially execute the received operation instructions (jobs).
However, in such image processing apparatus that can parallelly execute a plurality of jobs, even when the user wants to stop only a specific job he or she input to the apparatus, since the conventional apparatus comprises only a stop instruction means for the entire apparatus, all jobs of the apparatus are stopped together with the job the user wants to stop. This results in poor use efficiency of the apparatus and poor operability for the user.
Even when the user can select a job to be stopped from all jobs, the process of the job to be stopped progresses while the user is selecting the job to be stopped, and unwanted printouts are formed.
Furthermore, in an arrangement that makes the user select a job to be stopped every time a job is to be stopped, even when execution of only one job is in progress, the user must select that job, resulting in cumbersome operations.